Self-loading device for shaker conveyers



Sept. l5, 1953 w. w. sLoANE SELF-LOADING DEVICE FOR SHAKER CONVEYERS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Junel 15, 1950 MN Wmv... BNN NNN w N MN Sept. 15, 1953 w. w. sLoANE SELF-LOADING DEVICE FOR SHAKER CONVEYERS Filed June 15, 195o 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 15, 1953 w. w. sLoANE SELF-LOADING DEVICE FOR SHAKER CONVEYERS 4 sheets-neet s Filed June 15, 1950 a o INV TOR Maly/[1am 0 loan@ ATTQQ Sept. 15, 1953 w. w. SLOAN 2,652,144

SELF-LOADING DEVICE FOR SHAKER coNvEYERs Filed June 15, 195o 4 sheets-sheet 4 4r-Tonner Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED attain STATES PATENT QFFICE SELF-LOADING DEVICE Fon SHAKER ooNvEYEas Application June 1.5, 1950, Serial No. 168,278

Claims. V 1

This invention relates to improvements in self-loading devices for shaker conveyors of the type utilized for picking up and transporting loose material, such as coal, salt, rock or the like.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to afford a construction for swivelling the pick up end of a shaker conveyor and to derive power from the movement of shaker conveyor to swivel the pick up end of the shaker conveyor.

According to the present invention use is made of the reciprocating movement of the shaker pan line to drive a pump supplying pressure fluid to a pair of fluid pressure motors mounted at ythe pivoted end of the swivel trough section of an articulated shaker conveyor, the fluid pressure motors driving winding drums for cables which are trained around suitable guide sheaves at vthe forward end of the swivel trough, and which are anchored on each side of the swivel trough at points remote therefrom.

Another important object of the invention comprehends the provision of centering means for the base supporting the articulated portion of the shaker conveyor, and a pair of jacks cooperating with the centering means and adapted to be operated by fluid -pressure derived from the movement of the shaker conveyor, the jacks thrusting against the mine roof and holding the base of the articulated portion of the shaker o conveyor in position.

The present invention is an improvement over the devices shown in Bergmann Patent 2,425,078, Sloane Patent 2,433,961 vand Bergmann Application Ser. 118,046, filed September 27, 19.49 and now abandoned, Self-Loading Devices for Shaker Conveyors.

Other important objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the following specification taken with the drawings which together illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and what is now considered to be the best made of applying the principles thereof. While the invention is `described in terms of a preferred embodiment its scope is intended to be limited only by the Yterms of the appended claims.

ln the drawings:

Fig. i .is a plan view of the articulated portion of a shaker conveyor showing the forward Vswivel trough and the feeder trough nested therein, and showing the base plate supporting the articulated section vtogether with the fluid pressure devices for swivelling the forward swivel trough and `for holding the base plate and. articulated portion in position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation View of the shaker conveyor shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. l, the holding jacks for the shaker conveyor and the fluid pressure producing device being shown in front elevation;

Fig. 3a is a fragmentary perspective view showing certain of the parts provided for centering the base plate between the limits of forward and backward movement of the reciprocable pan line;

Fig. 4 is a detailed partly sectional and partly elevational View of one of the holding jacks of Figs. l to 3, the jacks being shown in lowered position;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the jack of Fig. 4 in raised position;

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the iiuid pressure apparatus associated with the mechanism of Figs. `1 to 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through a relief .or limit valve for limiting the swivelling movement of the swivel trough shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through a control valve for controlling the direction of swivell-ing movement of the swivel trough shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 8c is a fragmentary sectional View of Fig. 8 taken along the line Bob-8a.

Referring now particularly to Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, the invention is shown as being embodied in an articulated shaker conveyor which includes an extensible trough lll having a shovel (not shown) at its forward end, which preferably supports the forward end of the extensible trough l0 on the ground. The rear end of the extensible trough it is supported above the ground on a ground engaging shoe ll by means of a pair of laterally spaced supporting legs i3, i3 which are pivoted to the shoe il and extend upward therefrom along the outer sides of a reciprocating swivel trough lll within which the extensible trough Itis nested. The supporting legs i3, I3 are suitably secured at their upper ends to the rear end portion of the extensible trough l0 by bearing plates it, E5 extending along the upper outer sides of the extensible trough I0. The bearing plates i6, l5 are adapted to be engaged by friction-grip blocks not shown, of a feeding mechanism, also not shown, at the forward end of the swivel trough I4, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The reciprocating swivel trough lli is connected to and reciprocably driven from the shaker conveyor trough line through an articulated trough connection indicated generally by the number I1, which is so arranged as to form a means for controlling the lateral movement of the extensible trough IIJ and the swivel trough I4, and to provide for the continuous flow of material along the extensible trough and the swivel trough to the outby end of the trough line, when the reciprocating and extensible troughs are in various positions of lateral displacement with respect to the trough line. Such a swivel is clearly shown and described in Sloane Patent 2,433,961, issued January 6, 1949, for Improvements in Shaker Conveyors. The details of construction of the articulated trough connection I1 form no part of the present invention except for the details necessary to explain the construction and embodiment of the present invention.

The articulated connection I1 includes a support base I8 adapted to be held in place by laterally spaced hydraulic jacks I9 during operation of the conveyor. A plate 2| is adapted to overlie the base plate I8 and to have a limited restrained movement with respect to the base I8 in a vertical direction as more clearly described and claimed in Sloane Patent 2,433,961. The plate 2| thus provides a yieldable support for a pair of spaced guideways 22 for a oating frame 23 having guide rollers 24 mounted on each side thereof. A shaker trough pan 26 having a curved forward end 21 is connected by a plurality of connecting bosses 28 to the floating frame 23.

An intermediate trough section 29 having a flared end 3| adapted to nest within the curved end 21 of the trough pan 26 is connected to swivel on a pivot 32 on the iloating frame 23. The intermediate trough section 29 is likewise curved as at 33 at its receiving end and is pivoted at 34 to the outby end. 36 of the swivel trough I4 which is nested within the curved end of the intermediate trough 29.

A support 31 is riveted at 4|) to the swivel trough I4 and underlies both the swivel trough I4 and the intermediate trough 29. The support 31 extends toward the outby end of the articulated connection I1 and is provided with a pair of V-guides 38.

A swivel frame 39 which extends toward the swivel trough I4, and which underlies the support 31, is pivoted at its outby end on a hub 4| formed on the plate 2|. The swivel frame 39 is provided with a pair of spaced V-rollers 42 which ride in the V-guides 38, and which are so spaced as to provide for swiveling movement of the swivel frame 39 with respect to the support 31, while the support 31 is reciprocating with the: trough section.

The details of such construction are more clearly shown in the aforementioned patent t- William W. Sloane, No. 2,433,961, and in the aforementioned application of Ernst R. Bergmann, Serial No. 118,046, filed September 27, 1949.

The jacks I9 which are arranged to hold the base I8 in position consist of a pad 43 secured to the base I8 in any convenient manner and having a recess 44 for a centering ball 46 upon which rests a recessed cylinder head 41. The cylinder head 41 is ilanged and is bolted to a cylinder 48 having a flange 49. A plurality of aligning bolts cooperating with springs 52 and keeper washers and nuts 53 hold the cylinder 48 and cylinder head 41 against the ball 46. As shown with reference to Fig. 5, the bolt 5| has a head 54 which is self-aligning with respect to the pad 43, as shown at 56.

The cylinder 48 has a double acting piston 51 therein having a skirt 58 which is spaced from the inner wall of the cylinder 48. The skirt 58 slides along a packing gland and sleeve 59 which is bolted to the cylinder 48. The piston 51 provides a support for an inner sleeve 6| having an end plate 62 welded thereto which is held to the piston 51 by a socket head screw 62a. A jacking pad 63 is secured by a set screw 64 to the top of the inner sleeve 6I.

The jack I 9 is raised by iluid pressure directed against the piston 51 from an inlet port 8G in the cylinder head 41. The jack is lowered by uid from a port 61 in the wall of the cylinder 48, which enters a chamber 68 between the skirt 58 of the piston 51 and the cylinder 48, and which exerts pressure against a shoulder 59 of the piston 51.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 3a, 4 and 5, means are provided for automatically centering the jackcarrying base I8 with respect to panline-carrying floating frame 23 prior to raising the jacks against the mine roof. For this purpose the floating frame 23 is provided with two lateral centering ears 1|, one on each side, which reciprocate with the frame 23. Each centering ear 1I is engageable with a pair of longitudinally spaced arms 12 of a bell crank 13 pivoted to lug means 14 fastened on the top side of base I8. As will be explained in the next paragraph, each bell crank 13 is adapted to rock to and from a basecentering position between two longitudinally spaced ears 16 which are mounted on the top side of plate 2|. As Will also be explained, each jack I9 is linked with its corresponding bell crank 13 to hold the arms 12 of the latter in a position of alignment with the ears 16 when the `iack is in a down position (see Fig. 3). Thus, in operation, after the shovel trough has been moved forward to a new setting, and while the jacks are still in their down position as shown in Fig. 3, a few initial strokes of the conveyor will automatically center the base and the jacks carried thereby through the action of arms 1| engaging with bell crank arms 12.

The jacks I9 are adapted to be maintained in their raised position with the base I8 free from the effect of the movement of the ears 1I in tending to strike the arms 12 of the bell crank 13. To this end the bell crank 13 is connected by a link 11 to a bell crank 18 pivoted at 19 to the side of the gland 59. The skirt 58 retains a collar 8| which rocks the bell crank 13 to the position seen in Fig. 4 when the jack is lowered. A spring 82, connected to the link 11 at one end, and to the pad 82a at the other end, causes the bell crank 13 to rock in a counter-clockwise direction to a position as seen in Fig. 5, so that the jacks I9 are free from any influence resulting from reciprocation of the pan line, thereby minimizing the disturbance of the jacks I9 when in extending position.

Referring again to Figs. l and 2, fluid pressure motors 83 are provided for moving the swivel frame 39 about the pivot 4| at the same time swivelling the swivel trough I4 and the extensible trough I0. The fluid pressure motors 83 operate alternately to reel in a cable 84 which is trained around sheave (not shown) at the forward end of the swivel frame 39 and around sheaves 86. The cables 84 are anchored to oppositely disposed abutments as more clearly shown in Berg- `.mann application: Serial No. 118,046, led September 27,1949.

As shown `more clearly in Fig. theY fluidV pressure motors 83 are `connectedthrough a gear train 81 to drive a cable drum 88 having the cable v81| wound thereon. The ydrum 88 is mounted on ya manually operated eccentric 89 to rdisengage the drum 88 from the gear vtrain^81 when desired.

A fluid pressure system is provided for supplying fluid under pressure to drive the fluid motors-83 and to'supplypressure `tothe -jacks I9. A double acting piston type pump 9| is hingedly connected to a clevis block 92 mounted on the Vbase I8, land has a piston-rod 90 -con- .nected to a walking beam93 which pivots about a fulcrum block |34 also mounted on the-,base Hi.

:The opposite end of the walking beam -93 is hingedly connected by a link 96 toa movable abutment S1 on the underside of the trough pan 2l, see also Fig. 3.

Referring now to-Fig.-6, thepump 9| is connectedto a reservoir Se by a supply line 99 The pump 9| is connected by a pressure conduit |'0I to `an accumulator |632, which stores pressure fluid delivered by the pump :3| upon reciprocation of the shaker trough pan 2l. Asis customary in such fluid pressure systems, fluid isbypassed by a line |03, through an unloading valve IM and yby a line |06 tothe tank 8 when the pressure in the accumulator' reaches a predetermined maximum Value.

The operation of the jacks i9 is under the control of a valve |01 connectedto the high pressure line by a branching lineill. The control ,valve |91 is of a conventional kind and includes an operating handle, which when operated in one direction will pass Lfluidthrough aline I to enter the jacks lIll at the kport .63 to elevate same. The jacks IS are lowered by operating `the handle |69 in the opposite direction which connects the line to an exhaust line ||2to the tank 98, and which connects the line'lil to a line I I3 to pass pressure iiuid to the port'Sl.

The :duid vmotors 83 are under the control of `a valve IM which. is actuated by Avalve control rod He which terminates at a `point adjacent the feeding mechanism at the forward end of the swivel frame 39.

The control valve||4 selectively controls the operation of either of the `Iiuid motors :83 to swivel the-frame `(ill, Ithe swivel trough I4, and the extensible trough |Il in either-directionof swiveling movement, to reel rip-either of ,the

`cables 8d according `to the direction -of fsuch movement.

Referring now to Fig. 8, thecontrol valve I I4 includes a valve body ||v6 having .a bore r||| therein. The bore Ill is intersected by a pressure port H8 connected to a pressure line HQ. The bore I Il is also intersected byworking ports |25 and |22 respectively which flank the pressure ,porti le andwhich are connected to intermittent pressure lines |23 and |24 to .supply pressure fluid alternately to Yeither of the iiuid motors 83 or to block the pressure iluid toeach when it is desired to stop the swiveling action of the swivel trough lli 4and the extensible trough lil. The working ports |2| and `|22 are respectively flanked by exhaust ports |25 and |21 which 1 are connected `byaneXha-ust line .1| 28 to the tank 98.

A valve rod |29 having a pair of spacedlands |3| and |32 thereon is .zslida-ble in the `bore Ill and controls the movement of pressure iiuid through the valve ||4. The rod |29 is also slidable in a seal |33 which is held in place by a drilled endcap |34. The valve rod |29 is also provided with a shoulder |36 for spring keeper |.3 which at times bears against a shoulder |33 formed on the bore Il. A portion |39 of the valve rod |29 is encircled by a return spring MI which bottoms against a spring retainer |ll2 held by a pin |43. The spring retainer M2 normally bears against a shoulder itil of an end cap |46 of the valve body ||6.

The valve rod |29 is shiftable to the right against the bias of the spring MI so that pres- -sure fluid moves from pressure line ||9 to intermittent pressure line |2l to operate the respective fluid motor 83 connected thereto. Under this condition the land |3| opens line |23 to eX- haust port |2ii. Upon shifting the valve rod |23 to the left against the bias of the spring ,pressure fluid passes into line |23 to operate the other fluid lmotor and the land |32 opens the line |24 to the exhaust port |27.

Means are provided for limiting the amount of swivelling movement of the swivel frame .39 in either direction by bypassing pressure fluid normally .operating either of the fluid motors. Referring aga-into Figs. l and 2, each side of the swivel frame Se is provided with a limit valve |47 having a valve actuator rod Hi8 adapted to engage Ya stop Mis mounted on the base I8.

vReferring now to Fig. 7, the limit valve M7 includes a symmetrical valve body ll having a .pressurepassageway |52 whichis intersected by a bore |53. The valve body has a counterbore I5@ which is intersected by port 55 connected to the supply reservoir. The oounterbore hifi is provided with a ball valve |56 which at times'is seated on a shoulder |51. The bail valve E55 is normally'held against the seat I5? by ball retainer |58 and a spring i'bottomed against an end cap.|6 2. The spring |5Q is guided by a stem llheld by the end cap |52.

The valve actuator M3 is guided in a threaded Athimble |652` and includes Va ball valve lifter its (inf reduced diameter adapted to fit into the bore The valve |41 is connected to the pressure inlet side of each motor it?. by a line |66 to either pressure port |52. It will be understood that the opposite pressure port |52 is plugged, the valve lill-being s ymrnetricalfor right or left instal- When the actuator les engages the stop I 49,the ball valve lli? is lifted from its seat to bypassiiuidnormally suppling the associated `motor out thetank port |55'by line llii which connects to the return line |28.

The spent fluid from the motor 83 passes therefromby a line |68 connected to a, drain port |69 inyrthe valve body i5! and thence out the valve .M1 by line |67. Each motor vmay likewise be provided with a drain line l-'ii to the limit valve |41.

'vthiletme invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, its scope and breadth-is intended to be 'donned onlyby the Yclaims here appended.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a selil-oading device for shaker conveyors and in `a swiveled conveyor trough line inicVv ding a base which is held against movement .tritharespect to v.the ground during reciprocation of the conveyor and having reciprocably swivel.- able trough 'section `connected! to said base for laterally swinging movement with respect thereto.; a vframe mounted lforslidable movement along 1.the .grou-nd :at` its inby end and having an articulated connection with said base at its outbyv end; the combination therewith of ymeans comprising an hydraulic system including a tank and an accumulator and a pump all mounted on said base, said pump having an operating connection with said trough line and being operable upon reciprocation of said trough line for supplying fluid under pressure to said accumulator, fluid pressure operated winding devices mounted on said frame adjacent the outby end thereof and on opposite sides of Said swivel trough line for swinging movement therewith, flexible draft devices wound on said winding devices, means training said draft devices from opposite sides of the inby end of said frame for laterally swinging said frame when said draft devices are anchored to laterally disposed abutments, means including a control valve and an operator therefor mounted adjacent the inby end of said laterally swinga'ble frame for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to one or the other of said fluid motors, and valve means operable by the swinging movement of said frame to an extreme limit of travel in either direction to bypass pressure fluid normally supplying one of said fluid motors to tank.

2. In a self-loading device for shaker conveyors and in a swiveled conveyor trough line including a base which is held against movement with respect to the ground during reciprocation of the conveyor and having a reciprocably swivelable trough section connected to said base for laterally swinging movement with respect thereto; a frame mounted for slidable movement along the ground at its inby end and having an articulated connection with said base at its outby end; the combination therewith of means comprising an hydraulic system including a tank and an accumulator and a pump all mounted on said base, said pump having an operating connection with said trough line and being operable upon reciprocation of said trough line for supplying fluid under pressure to said accumulator, uid pressure operated winding devices mounted on said laterally movable frame adjacent the outby end thereof and on opposite sides of said swivel trough section for swinging movement therewith, flexible draft devices wound on said winding devices, means training said draft devices from opposite sides of the inby end of said frame for laterally swinging said frame when said draft devices are anchored to laterally disposed abutments, means including a control valve and an operator therefor mounted adjacent the inby end f said laterally swingable frame for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to one or the other of said fluid motors, and means including a valve mounted on each side of said swinging frame cooperating with a valve actuator mounted on each side of said base for bypassing pressure fluid normally supplying one of said fluid motors to tank upon lateral swinging movement of said frame to an extreme limit of travel in either direction.

3. In a self-loading device for a shaker conveyor including a reciprocating pan line articulately connected to a swivelable trough having an extensible feeder trough section which is laterally movable with said swivelable trough and extensible and retractable with respect to said swivelable trough section, a base affording a support for said pan line and said swivelable trough for reciprocating movement thereof with respect to said base: the combination therewith of means -comprising an hydraulic system including an accumulator and a pump mounted on said base, said pump having an operating connection with said pan line and being operable upon reciprocation of said trough line for supplying fluid to said accumulator, means for centering said base upon initial reciprocation of said pan line, and a pair of oppositely disposed hydraulic jacks mounted on each side of said base and adapted to be eX- tended by fluid pressure from said accumulator after said base has been properly centered by reciprocation of said pan line.

4. In a self-loading device for a shaker conveyor including a reciprocating pan line articulately connected to a swivelable trough having an extensible feeder trough section which is laterally movable with said swivelable trough and extensible and retractable with respect to said swivelable trough section, a base affording a support for said pan line and said swivelable trough for reciprocating movement thereof with respect to said base: the combination therewith of means comprising an hydraulic system including an accumulator and a pump mounted on said base, said pump having an operative connection with said pan line and being operable upon reciprocation of said trough line for supplying fluid to said accumulator, means for centering said base upon initial reciprocation of said pan line, comprising spaced members on said base marking the limits of travel of said pan line, a member carried by said pan line for moving said spaced members and said base to a position centering said base, a pair of oppositely disposed hydraulic jacks mounted on each side of said pan line and anchored to said base, said jack being extensible by pressure fluid, and means operable upon extension of said jacks for moving the centering means to a position where said jacks will be undisturbed by reciprocation of said pan line.

5. in a self-loading device for a shaker conveyor including a reciprocating pan line articulately connected to a swivelable trough having an extensible feeder trough section which is laterally movable with said swivelable trough and extensible and retractable with respect to said swivelable trough section, a base affording a support for said pan line and said swivelable trough for reciprocating movement thereof with respect to said base: the combination therewith of means comprising an hydraulic system including an accumulator and a pump mounted on said base, said pump having an operative connection with said pan line and being operable upon reciprocation of said trough line for supplying fluid to said accumulator, means for centering said base comprising a bell crank pivoted to said base and having a pair of spaced crank arms, a member carried by said pan line for moving said crank arms and said base to a centered position on said base, a pair of oppositely disposed hydraulic jacks mounted on each side of said pan line and anchored to said base, said jack being extensible by pressure fluid from said accumulator, and means for rocking said bell crank upon extension of said jacks for moving the centering means to a position where said jacks will be undisturbed by reciprocation of said pan line.

WILLIANI W. SLOANE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,343,144 Hagenbook Feb. 29, 1944 2,404,058 Hagenbook July 16, 1946 2,435,139 Holstein Jan. 27. 1948 

